adminTendai Gukutikwa
A MARANGE village head is alleging that the $200 he has been contributing for the upkeep of his two children monthly is way above what he gets as a chief and should be varied downwards to $100.
Zvichapera Marange, who is also Village-head Rengai of Bezel Bridge under Chief Marange, submitted his application of downward variation before Mrs Yeukai Chigodora at the Mutare Civil Courts.
In his application, Rengai stated that he received nothing as a traditional leader and was no longer in a position to pay $200 monthly towards the upkeep of his two children who are both Ordinary Level pupils.
Rengai’s wife, Dambudzo Patience Marange, objected.
“My husband is a chief and people pay fines to him daily. He definitely can afford $200. He had arrears for the past three months and he boasts to everyone that he was a chief and would not stoop so low as to pay maintenance and school fees for his children.
“He wanted the school to let the children learn for free because he is a chief and he only paid after he had been issued with the court warrant last week.
“My mother usually pays the children’s school fees most of the times,” Dambudzo told the court.
She also informed the court that the traditional leader was in the process of constructing his seven- roomed house which she described as “state-of-the-art.”
The maintenance amount was varied to $180 monthly.
“You have the legal obligation of contributing towards the upkeep of your children regardless of which leadership position you hold in the community,” Mrs Chigodora advised him.
Online Reporter